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“I thought you meant that you’d be calling me. What else was I supposed to think?” I’d thought that if I saw him again, it would be while we were doing the horizontal mambo.
“Um, excuse me? What are you two talking about?”
I look up, stunned to hear a voice other that Dean’s and mine. Sam, Julie, the cameraman with the gazillion viewers, and everyone there is watching us intently.
“Oh. Yeah, Dean and I met the other night at… A place. We just ran into each other,” I laugh it off as though it’s no big deal. “I gave him my business card because I like getting new business. Not to mention he seemed like he needed a good workout,” I tell Sam who smiles warily.
Dean’s sudden laughter has us all turning to him. “Yeah, I needed a workout all right,” he says to me directly, and I don’t think anyone on Earth watching this could have mistaken the meaning behind it.
Our eyes lock, the humor in his completely gone, leaving behind something that makes me uncomfortable and a little weak in the knees.
“Well, there you have it,” Sam says, breaking the awkward silence. “So much more excitement than we could have anticipated. Can’t wait to see how this plays out. Stay tuned as we continue to cover the Keys to Key West challenge! Cut!” Putting the mic down, Sam says to the cameraman, “Well that was interesting.”
The crowd that had surrounded us during the interview disperses. Julie, visibly frustrated, walks to us.
“You and you,” she points. “My office. Now.”
With a crooked smile, Dean turns to me and says, “Shit. I think you got us in trouble.”
“Me!” I screech. “Whatever.” I move to walk away, and only then realize I’m still holding his hand. Yanking it out hard, I shoot him an indignant glare which makes him chuckle.
“Mom?” Reese comes up to us. “You okay?” She looks from me to Dean.
“Cat!” I hear behind me before I can answer, and turn to see a very agitated Sheridan walking in through the door. “I am so sorry I’m late. Henry threw up on me on the way to Stephen’s and I had to go buy a change of clothes. How’d the interview… Oh,” she stops, looking up at Dean. “Uh, you look familiar?” It comes out as a question. “The baby?” she mouths at me and I roll my eyes at her knowing everyone here knows what she just said.
“We didn’t officially meet. I’m Dean Cooper. Head trainer in Orlando and Cat’s biggest competitor,” he laughs, inciting an eye roll from me.
“I’ll fill you in later, kid,” I say to Reese. “Come on, Coop, before we’re disqualified. And get this straight, I’m going to be a problem for you. I won’t make this easy. No sir, not one bit.”
His smile widens and I wonder how the hell anyone could make my insides twist and turn into mush at the same time.
Dean leans into me and whispers in my ear, his voice sending shivers down my body. “I look forward to the challenge.”
I frown as he walks away, wondering if he was referring to the competition or something else entirely.
The office is awkwardly silent. Julie is chewing on the inside of her mouth as she tends to do when she’s irritated. She looks from Dean to me as we sit across from her.
After what seems an eternity, she looks away, piling some random sheets on her desk and lets out a breath. “Are you two going to be a problem?”
“No,” both Dean and I say simultaneously.
She straightens out three pens, lining them neatly in front of her, then looks up at us once again. “I don’t need to tell you that this first interview didn’t go as I’d have liked.”
“I’m sorry, Julie. I never…” Dean begins, but Julie stops him with a finger.
“There are no official rules against dating within our company,” she states.
“We’re not dating,” I laugh awkwardly.
Julie ignores me. “However, there are rules against a lack of professionalism. I don’t care what you two do outside of Maxx. But when you come here, when you are wearing my name, you represent me. And when you represent me, I expect nothing but the best. Is that understood?”
“Yes ma’am.” We both say again.
“Good. Dismissed.”
We leave her office with our heads hung a little lower. The moment we are out of earshot, I look at Dean with narrowed eyes. “You heard her.”
“I did. Dating within Maxx is allowed.”
